Share this:

With the 2018 Wisconsin Badgers recruiting class already signed, sealed and delivered, it is truly an offseason to look forward to what lies ahead for the program.

That’s especially true on the recruiting trail, where the Badgers are way ahead of their normal curve. UW already has four commits to the 2019 class and there is a ton of buzz around the potential for this class to be special.

Wisconsin also likely needs to make this class count because it won’t be a big one, with around 14-16 players likely to be in the class in total. UW currently has 75 players on the 2019 scholarship list as it would sit today.

As we transition to looking ahead, we’ll take a look at each position as it stands on the recruiting trail. This time up it’s the position that doesn’t get a lot of glory, but could be vital for UW’s defensive success — defensive line.

Commit(s):

None

Wisconsin may not end up with a ton on the recruiting trail at this position in 2019. What with eight defensive ends either signed in 2018 or currently part of the scholarship group heading in to 2019. However, they will likely look to even things out a bit with three players likely to graduate after 2019.

Look for the Badgers to target two defensive ends and a pair of defensive tackles, which we’ll get to in a bit.

Recruiting Priorities:

Defensive tackle, defensive tackle and defensive tackle.

We can’t stress that enough in this recruiting class, as there is currently just one player who fills that role on the roster as we speak. That one person is 2018 signee Bryson Williams, who is likely to be the primary backup to Olive Sagapolu this upcoming season. I just don’t see the Badgers using Garrett Rand as an inside player after seeing his athletic ability over the past two seasons. Either way, depth at the defensive tackle position is lacking and Wisconsin needs to solve that issue.

Priority No. 1 in that vein is Lloyd Murray Jr. the No. 61 ranked defensive tackle in the country. A Wichita Falls, Texas product, Murray Jr. is likely the Badgers No. 1 target and his film suggests someone who the Badgers would love to have. It doesn’t hurt that fellow Texas products are having great careers so far at UW.

A name that seems to be under the radar in terms of the recruiting services, but not the schools is Wake Forest, North Carolina recruit Jaden McKenzie. Wisconsin joins other schools like Boston College, Duke, North Carolina, Wake Forest and West Virginia in the mix.

Switching over to the outside of the defensive line, the Badgers have struck up a good relationship with Michigan product Michael Fletcher and could also be looking hard at Florida powerhouse program St. Thomas Aquinas’ Braylen Ingraham. Outside of those two, a lot of the players the Badgers have offers out to aren’t realistic options at this point.

State of Recruiting at DL:

Per usual, this position group is slow-developing in terms of early commitments. Wisconsin has some in-state talent it can pull from, but appears to have its early focus out of the state instead. That’s understandable, as this offseason should set the tone for where UW stands with some of the bigger offers it has out there.

Look for the summer to really heat up recruiting at both defensive end and defensive tackle. That’s good news because the pickings seem slim in terms of realistic options heading out of the winter and in to spring. UW has to start identifying and getting these kids on campus sooner or they will be left with a disappointing crop at both positions.

Share this:

Related

Andy Coppens is the Founder and Publisher of Talking10. He's a member of the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and has been covering college sports in some capacity since 2008. You can follow him on Twitter @AndyOnFootball